The celebration was winding down when Warden Yrsa appeared behind him with the golden collar open in her hands.
"Your service has concluded, big guy" she said. "Protocol resumes."
Noah lowered his head slightly, and let her close THE GILDED CLAUSE around his neck, and the click of it rang through a hall that had gone quiet and uncomfortable at the sight, seven cured Descendants watching their miracle be leashed again.
"None of that," Mahishasura had said hours ago, about a shove.
He said nothing at all about a collar.
And within Noah, behind the lowered eyes of a compliant prisoner, his two halves were in session!
"We have everything," THE Open Hand said. "All the memories. The plan was information, and the plan is complete."
